Hannah Montana fans are sharing their shock over actor Jason Earles’ real age when he starred on the hit series alongside teen Miley Cyrus.
The popular Disney Channel show saw the duo playing teenage siblings, while Miley’s actual father Billy Ray Cyrus starred as their dad.
However, while Jason’s character Jackson Stewart was meant to be sixteen years of age, the actor was actually 30 years old at the time.
After one fan pointed out the often-forgotten detail in a video on Instagram, fans soon began to share their shock at the fact Jason was closer in age to Billy Ray than Miley.
Instagram user Josh Denney posted a video which read: ‘Jason Earles playing a 16-year-old at age 30 was a lot weirder than we think.’
He noted that Jason’s character was only meant to be ‘a few years older’ than Miley but in real life he was 15 years her senior.
Fans then shared their reactions in the comment section as one wrote: ‘I’m sorry. He was 30????’
Another replied: ‘That’s weird as hell.’
Hannah Montana fans are sharing their shock over actor Jason Earles’ real age when he starred on the hit series alongside teen Miley Cyrus
Instagram user Josh Denney posted a video in December which read: ‘Jason Earles playing a 16 year old at age 30 was a lot weirder than we think’
‘He was 30!?!?’ a third stated, while a fourth added: ‘I NEVER thought he looked 16. He always looked like a grown up.’
One person commented: ‘Zero self awareness. Dude went into an audition for a 16-year-old knowing he’s 32.’
Another wrote: ‘It was pretty funny seeing what is clearly a fully grown man running up to Billy Ray Cyrus and jumping into his lap.’
However most people in the comments found no issue with the age difference due to the fact the pair starred as siblings.
‘I have no problem with the age difference because they were playing siblings not lovers,’ one person wrote.
Another commented: ‘Nobody talks about it because he looked the age he was playing so it doesn’t matter. They were siblings on the show. It’s not weird at all.’
One Instagram user stated: ‘You should check out this profession called “acting.” It’s like a whole group of people who pretend to be something they’re not. It’s pretty neat.’
Hannah Montana on The Disney Channel in 2006, following Miley Stewart, a young girl who moved from Tennessee to Malibu, California, as she adapts to a whole new lifestyle.
The popular Disney Channel show saw the Jason and Miley playing teenage siblings, while Miley’s actual father Billy Ray Cyrus starred as their dad
But Miley hides a secret that only a few know: that she leads a double life as pop star Hannah Montana.
Those that know her secret included her father/manager Robbie Ray (Billy Ray Cyrus), brother Jackson (Jason Earles) and friends Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment) and Oliver Oken (Mitchell Musso), with Lilly leading a double life herself as Hannah’s friend Lola.
The show ran from 2006 to 2011, with Hannah Montana: The Movie debuting in the midst of the run in 2009.
Jason, a California native, said his age allowed him to obtain an education prior to starting on the show.
He got a degree in theatre arts from Rocky Mountain College in Montana.
After being reminded of the often-forgotten detail in a video on Instagram, fans shared their shock in the comments
Hannah Montana on The Disney Channel in 2006, following Miley Stewart, a young girl who moved from Tennessee to Malibu, California, as she adapts to a whole new lifestyle
By the season premiere of Hannah Montana, Jason had a number of big names on his portfolio with minor roles in Malcolm in the Middle, MADtv and American Pie – but his career really took off as the annoying older brother of protagonist Miley.
His Hannah Montana fame helped him appear in other Disney productions – namely Kickin’ It, Dadnapped alongside his co-star Osment, and most recently High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
He has been twice-married, first wedding Jennifer Earles, a partnership which lasted from 2002 to 2013, coinciding with the filming of Hannah Montana.
The actor celebrated his nuptials once again in August 2017 after tying the knot with social media personality Katie Drysen.
